Journeys
by BarackPanther
Summary: This is a collection of new scenes and sub-stories I wanted to add to RWBY to give it a bit more depth. None of these are in chronological order. Suggestions are appreciated!
1. To Mistral (Jaune Arc)

Jaune waited until his team was asleep. It took about an hour, but he finally got to work when he heard the collective snores of Ruby and the rest of team JNRR. He picked up his sword and shield and headed a few metres away from camp, where there was a small open space devoid of any trees. The journey to Mistral was a long one, so he figured he might as well train his basic swordsmanship. He was a complete noob when he first enrolled in Beacon. The more rowdy students, especially Cardin Winchester, picked on him due to his apparent weakness and incompetence in combat. He has come a long way since then, even gaining the respect of his former bullies.

He placed his scroll on the roots of the nearest tree. He browsed his scroll to search for his old training videos back when he was training at Beacon. He finally found the video. It had a thumbnail of his close friend and mentor, Pyrrha Nikos. He stared at the screen for a little bit, reminscing the happy memories he had with her. He finally played the video and prepared his sword and shield.

"Alright Jaune, just like we practiced! Follow these instructions," a familiar, sweet voice called out. His heart softened at the soothing tone of Pyrrha's voice.

"Shields up!"

He held up his shield. He took a mental note of how he held his shield in front of him. She had warned him before about not blocking his line of sight with his shield.

"Grip tight! Don't forget to keep your front foot forward," she continued. He readied his stance, just like how she drilled him many months ago.

"Ready? Go."

He thrust forward his blade with all his might.

"Again."

He raised his sword and slashed diagonally, meticulously following the way she taught him in the past down to the painful details.

"Aaand again!"

He swung his blade again, this time bringing his sword down on whatever phantom he was training against.

"Okaay, assuming you aren't cheating, we can take a break." she said. Jaune was already panting. Most of the journey was walking, and he did not had his weapons before as he sent it to the nearest blacksmith for an upgrade. He already knew what she was going to say next, but this time, he wasn't going to hear it.

He readied his stance again, his body heaving in a slow rhythm. He thrust his sword again, then slashed diagonally, then brought his sword down upon his metaphorical enemy. He repeated the basic combination, each time with more gusto and power than before. He was putting all his emotions into his swing. His guilt for losing Pyrrha manifested as a fierce force, nearly cutting down the nearby tree in half. The drone of his scroll was cancelled out as noise. He only wanted to train and train to avenge the one he cared for so much.

But even then, his emotions could only take him so far. He pushed himself past exhaustion. He miscalculated his footing and accidently threw his sword into a tree. His scroll was just right beneath it. There, he saw Pyrrha's emerald eyes staring back at him. Her lips had curled into a small, soft smile, as if she was there at that moment, watching him train rigourously.

"I'll always be here for you, Jaune." she told him with a reassuring smile on her face. But, he knew that was not true, and Pyrrha probably knew that too. She left him a long time ago, when she attempted to challenge Cinder and failed. Out of rage and denial, he directed his anger into the tree. He punched and kicked while crying his eyes out. He digged out his sword from the bark of the tree with such primal rage, it was as if he was possessed by Grimm. He pounded and pounded on the tree, releasing his pent up anger and frustration until either him or the tree gave way.

He finally collapsed on the floor after bursting through his energy and quite literally working himself to death. After releasing his guilt, his anger, his sadness, he felt nothing anymore. The void that Pyrrha had left in his heart could never be filled. He felt hopeless and demotivated. If his mentor, an ace Huntress, was defeated so easily, what could he even do?

"Jaune, are you okay?" a high-pitched voice called out with a tone carrying feelings of concern and sympathy. It was Ruby. He was too engrossed in his tantrum that he probably woke up even Nora, who could sleep through thunderstorms in the open. Her semblance might have helped her with that.

"I'm... fine..." Jaune tried to mouth out his words in between his panting. His training fatigue had nearly driven him into a coma.

"Jaune, I know you miss her. We all do, she was our teammate and friend as well." Lie Ren attempted to console him.

"Well, we weren't as head over heels for her as you wer-"

 _Thwack!_

"Oww, what was that for?" Nora attempted to comment, but Lie Ren immediately interrupted her remark with a swift neck chop.

"We all have lost someone during the Fall of Beacon, or by the Grimm." Lie Ren continued, seemingly ignoring Nora.

"We'll never be able to bring them back, but the least we could do is avenge them."

Ruby tried to make Jaune feel better, but she wasn't really good at that kind of thing.

"And if we find Cinder again, we'll break her legs!" Nora exclaimed with overflowing enthusiasm. She was still massaging the back of her neck where Lie Ren hit her. The source of her bubbly energy is a mystery to all.

Hearing those words, he could not help but shed a tear as a proud team leader. It was sort of flattering to have friends who cared so much about him. The scars on his heart may never fully heal, but at least he'll be able to recover and fight again. He silently vowed to protect his team and friends at all costs. He had lost a friend already, he could not afford to lose another. At least, Pyrrha left him with some training, allowing him to fight and protect the weak and innocent. He signed up to be a hunter, and he will damn well carry out his duty.

Its what she would have wanted.

 **I hope it turns out well. I plan to write a scene for Summer Rose next, so stay tuned! Criticism is appreciated, I'm still fairly new to this.**


	2. Farewell, Summer

A young woman treaded the hallways of her former school. Her white hood covered her head and extended down to her feet like a graceful cape. It covered her face with a thin veil of darkness, giving her a mysterious vibe. Those who may not know her might feel that she was a suspicious figure, especially in a compound so revered and important as Beacon Academy. However, those who worked, taught or were former students at the Academy knew better than to disturb her, for she was one of the best huntresses to ever graduate from Beacon Academy.

Summer Rose was an ace student, and soon enough she earned the trust of Professor Ozpin. He took her under her wing and became her personal mentor. She possessed a special gift that gave her an advantage over her peers when it comes to Grimm slaying. Her silver eyes were a mystical weapon, about as confusing to use as it is its origin. For that reason, the Professor chose to train her, in hopes that she can use her potential to defend humanity from the Grimm.

Hence, it was no surprise that she was called for every perilous, high-level mission involving the Grimm. Her Huntress training, coupled with her amazing hidden power allowed her to stand toe-to-toe against the most powerful, malicious and bloodlusted Grimm Salem had to offer.

But over time, she grew up from a promising huntress to a loving mother, spoiling and doting on her young daughters whenever possible. She had to retire from her job and fully commit to her family. Ozpin had no choice but to allow her to let go of her duties, as she had served Vale well and it was time for her to raise children of her own. Maybe they can be hunters one day. Now, she gets called for a tough mission every now and then, or she just comes for a visit if she happens to be in the area.

Today was no different. She walked past the crowd of students who were soon to become the next generation of hunters. Most of them ignored her presence, though some threw quick glances at her. Her memory of the place served her well as she was able to reach the headmaster's office without any mishaps, save for that one student who accidently stepped on her cape. She made a mental note to scrub her cape that had probably been stained by their shoe. She entered the lift and pressed a button that would lead her to the headmaster's office. She felt strange feeling, similar to when she was first called up to the office personally by Professor Ozpin. His calm yet serious demeanour never failed to unnerve her a bit and she made sure to stay on his good side, lest she wanted to invoke the wrath of a gentle man.

"Welcome, Mrs. Xiao Long." Professor Ozpin greeted her with a soft smile and his coffee mug on his left hand.

"Please, no need to be so formal." Summer replied, blushing a little. The professor invited her to have a seat and she complied.

"Given your current position, managing a family and all, I apologise for calling you here all the way from your home. However, this is a rather dire issue that I require you to deal with immediately." Ozpin said in a rather serious tone with a hint of nervousness. Summer noticed this and began to feel uneasy. The professor pressed a button on his desk and with a flash, a light blue hologram was seen floating above it. It had a shape of a screen and displayed an image of a Grimm far larger than she ever encountered. It was like a giant lizard with wings and bony protrusions replacing its scales. Its mouth resembled a crocodile, but its teeth was so sharp and numerous that its jaw looked like it was transplanted from a shark. She immediately recognized that it definitely wasn't a Nevermore at all, but something far stronger than she had ever fought.

"What is this thing?" Summer asked quizzically. She has heard rumors about a very fierce Grimm that had mysteriously appeared within Remnant's shadows. Many hunters had been sent to kill the beast, however they had only managed to subdue and chase it away. The high casualty rate on the mission earned the nickname of "Death Wish" among the hunter community. If such rumors were true, then this monster had to be the one responsible for giving so much trouble. The fear instilled within the hunters just by its mere existence must be proof of its ferocity and might.

"One of Salem's 'experiments'. I've sent many skilled hunters to eliminate this monster, but none has succeeded thus far. This... thing has become more active lately, and left unchecked it will pose a serious threat to the citizens of Vale. I require your abilities in order to neutralise this threat before it reaches Vale."

"I see. Where is its current hideout?" Summer replied. She was in awe of the size of this Grimm. A comparison diagram displayed on the hologram revealed that the monster was roughly the size of a 6-storey building, not accounting for its wingspan. It could probably devour an entire army of soldiers if it wanted to. A beast this huge wouldn't be able to hide itself in the usual caves she was used to clearing out. She wasn't particularly a great fighter in the air either, which made her doubt if she was even able to lay a scratch on it without getting harmed herself.

Ozpin navigated through the hologram with a series of gestures with his hand, mimicing the actions of swiping through pages on a Scroll. A map of Remnant appeared on the holographic screen before zooming into a cluster of mountains just east of Vale.

"Here." Ozpin pointed at the screen. The basic map slowly evolved into a birds-eye view of the beast.

"One of Atlas' pilots has managed to track down the beast while it was escaping one of its strike teams. It is in hibernation for now, but I'm afraid it won't be for long."

"Understood. However, I'm not sure if I could kill this thing, given its size. My Silver Eyes has wiped out quite a bit of Grimm with ease, but this one is way larger than anything I've dealt with. My ability has failed to kill Grimm before, and they were dwarves compared to this."

"That, is what I'm afraid of, Summer." Ozpin responded. Summer could sense her former mentor's fear and doubt. Though he rarely showed fear, or any emotion at all, on his face, the way his hand was trembling as he held his mug was a giveaway.

"You're afraid too, Professor."

"Admittedly yes, but for your sake. There is a chance you might not come back alive."

Summer was taken aback by his words. Sure, he was blunt sometimes, but he never used those exact words on her or anyone she knew before. This beast had managed to scare Professor Ozpin too, and the revelation made her internally shiver to the core.

"If this thing wakes up before I arrive, is it possible for me to win against it?"

"It might be unlikely. But, if it comes to that..." Ozpin trailed off.

"I have to sacrifice myself." Summer finished the sentence. Ozpin had taught her a way to release all the energy within her. A stronger version of the blast she released when her Silver Eyes ability first awakened. The technique essentially turns her into a bomb however, which means she will die if she uses it. Ozpin had taught her that ability as a last resort, but this time, it was her only chance to stop the monster from reaching Vale.

"Summer, are you sure you wish to do that?" Ozpin questioned her with a hint of surprise and worry in his voice.

"You know what happens if you use that technique."

"I die. I know, Professor."

Ozpin stared blankly at her, probably shocked from the words that just came out of her mouth.

"Professor, if I fail this mission, not only Vale, but my family is in danger too. I have to do it." Summer insisted.

"Very well Summer. I will allow you to meet with your family before the mission. Your transport will be here at Beacon tomorrow night. That is all for today. Farewell, Summer."

She nodded and begun to walk away. The thoughts of leaving her children behind haunted her mind. While she had a squeaky clean track record of performing every Grimm extermination without failing, she couldn't help but think of the possibilities. The possibilities where she fails.

"Professor, if I don't come back, what will happen to Yang and Ruby?" she turned around and inquired.

"Rest assured, we will support them in every way that we can. We'll try to get in contact with Qrow Branwen to assist Taiyang with his... fatherly duties."

She uttered a 'thank you' and entered the lift leaving the headmaster's office. She let out a heavy sigh and thought about her daughters. Though Yang was technically not her child, she is as much a daughter to her as Ruby was. Thinking about the added stress she had to endure if her mother left a second time made her heart bleed with guilt. Ruby was her firstborn, though younger than Yang, had grown to accept her as her sister. She was glad that they accepted each other as sisters, but she didn't want to put Ruby through the emotional turmoil Yang had undergone when Raven left all those years ago. She knew it was irresponsible as a mother to leave them, especially since they were so young, but what choice did she have? And her husband too, she had made a promise to stay by his side when they got married, but when she made that decision to take on the mission, she felt that she had betrayed the man she loved so much.

Part of her felt like she was overthinking things. It'll all be fine! Its just a Grimm, and she had killed dozens of them before. Her dread however drowned out any thought in her head that tried to reassure and calm her. Maybe she isn't going to make it after all...

\- A DAY LATER -

Summer was in her room, packing up her old weapon that had carried her through her missions time and time again. A part of her wished she could have stayed here, even if just for a bit longer. But then again, the monster could reawaken at any moment. If she couldn't kill the monster, who will? Out of the blue, her bedroom door slammed open. Yang marched in with a cheeky grin on her face, similar to her father's. Ruby was perched on her head like a tiny bird with her beady, silver eyes acting as a second light source for the room.

"Mom! When you come back, promise me to bring some souvenirs!" the small blonde with purple eyes yelled.

"Mommy, Dad made some strawberry cookies! Ruby save some for mommy, okay?" the tinier red-haired girl said, with a relatively softer voice than the loud blonde. Summer could not help but chuckle at the sight of her silly daughters. It reminded her of Raven roosting on Taiyang's head back when the Branwen siblings were gifted the ability to transform into little birdies.

"Okay you two, but first, Ruby, get down from her head!" Summer attempted to raise her voice at her kids, but she couldn't retain her stern voice when she was already trying to hold back her laughter.

"Come on you two, its almost time for bed!" Taiyang swooped them up and carried the both of them on his arms.

"And also, you're looking extra pretty today." Taiyang snuck in a compliment and immediately followed it with a peck on the cheek. He never seemed to give up his flirty attitude, even in front of the kids.

"The kids are watching, Tai."

"I know." he winked at her. An elbow from a tiny blonde girl struck his chest which nearly caused him to flinch and lose his balance.

"And hey, come back quick! These kids are a piece of work!" he added on just as Summer took the first step out of the house.

"I know." she grinned at him. They waved her goodbye as she made her way down the road and to Beacon. She waved and forced a smile back, but her mind was already filled with dread and fear of the mission. It's the last time she'd see her family.

.

.

.

It has been several hours since Summer had left. Taiyang had collapsed on his bed after a night of entertaining the kids. For some reason, they just had too much energy to go to sleep. He had finally pacified them and fell asleep the moment his head hit the bed. As the morning sun shined upon his open window, his scroll rang with a sound he had never heard before. He lazily reached for his scroll and opened it, the light from the sun and scroll nearly blinding his barely opened eyes. He was curious to find that the notification was from his former team. Maybe Raven had sent a message?

He navigated through his scroll to arrive at his old team menu, the one he usually spent hours staring at when his team members went on solo mission. On the scroll's screen, the aura capacity of all his team members were on display. Raven's slot was crossed out; she had cut all communications when she abruptly left. Qrow's aura capacity was full this time, as he had taken leave from his recon duties. Summer's slot was still there, but the bar that measured her aura...

It was empty.

 **Aaand done! I've added my not-so-signature ingredient: Procrastination! Yaaay! As always, please leave a review, it'll help me improve as a writer too! Cinder's origin is coming up next, but I want to give a little tribute to a handsome moustached teacher at Beacon first.**


End file.
